Contract Specialist

Summary This position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of the Chief of Operations, Capitol Power Plant. The incumbent is a warranted Contract Specialist awarding and providing administrative contract support for contracts to the Capitol Power Plant. The Capitol Power Plant manages the year-round operation of the power plant, providing steam and chilled water to heat and cool the U.S. Capitol and 22 other facilities on or around Capitol Hill. Responsibilities This position requires knowledge of contracting principles, laws, regulations and procedures applicable to pre-award and post-award actions sufficient to award and administer a contract. Contracting Officer's procurement authority, including delegation of authority and administration of contracts will occur under the direct supervision of the Chief of the Supplies, Services, and Material Management Division under the Acquisition and Material Management Division (AMMD). The Capitol Power Plant will provide supervision to prioritize work based on its strategic, operational, and emergency acquisition requirements for contracts above and below the simplified acquisition threshold. Major Duties: Performs a variety of duties involving pre and post award functions, including issuance of contract modifications, negotiation of changes, exercise of options, investigation and resolution of delays and/or performance issues, contract reviews to evaluate performance, issuance of contractor performance appraisals/assessments, sub-contractor surveillance, disposition of claims, commissioning, acceptance, completion of closeout procedures and similar matters as directed. Reviews contractor performance through site visits, email correspondence and telephone conversations as appropriate; Monitors contractor activities to ensure compliance with technical, financial, delivery and other terms of the contract. Serves as Contracting Officer with signatory authority up to $10 million to enter into contracts for acquisition of significant requirements or programs. Prepares formally advertised and negotiated solicitations and contracts, including all related documentation. Drafts nontechnical specifications, delivery or performance requirements, inspection instructions and all other special and standard clauses; Prepares all documents required for contract awards. Performs detailed analysis to determine completeness and responsiveness of bids in the case of Invitations for Bids (IFBs) and compliance of offeror's proposals with solicitation requirements in the case of Request for Proposals (RFPs). Position requires communication to achieve effective relationships between Acquisition and Material Management Division, AOC senior staff, Rules Committee personnel, Members of Congress and their staff, oversight committee staff, general public and contractors to achieve mission critical requirements. Must be adept at oral and written communications so as to address up to 50 people at a time and to write coherent, compelling memorandums and/or white papers. Requires effective communication and interface with senior leadership, project executives, technical experts and Congressional oversight. Performs other related duties as assigned. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be able to pass a drug test. Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs. You must meet the definition of specialized experience. 4. FAC-C (Professional) certification or equivalent experience is required To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below: A citizen of the United States; A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B); A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States. Qualifications You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM qualification standards Within the resume, candidates must demonstrate evidence of the specialized experience which relates to the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required to successfully perform the duties of the position. Candidates for the GS-13 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower (GS-12) grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes the following: Broad knowledge of contracting policies, procedures, laws and regulations; Performing pre-award and post-award functions; Preparing solicitation documents, analyzing proposals, negotiating with potential contractors; Performing cost and/or price analysis; and Administering contracts, preparing positions on protests, and closing out contracts. **FAC-C Professional Certification is required for this appointment. In addition, Contracting for Services Credential is preferred or must be obtained within eighteen (18) months from date of hire. ** Education In addition to meeting the specialized experience requirements for this position, applicants must possess the following: A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part of foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing if selected. Transcripts are required upon selection. Additional Information Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit OPM vet guide If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC's suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide, and cover the cost for the drug test. The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, genetic information, sexual orientation and/or disability. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. Moving expenses are not authorized. Relocation expenses may be authorized for non-federal employees. Probationary Period- Selectee(s) is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency. This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol. All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol. Note: Please be advised that federal retired annuitant candidates may only be considered as a temporary employee if the role can be filled in that capacity.